AUSTIN, Texas -- En la última década, la cantidad de colegios y universidades que sirven a los hispanos ha crecido significativamente. Pero algunos investigadores se preguntan si el dinero federal destinado a estas instituciones se utiliza con la mayor eficacia posible. La profesora asistente de la Universidad del Norte de Texas, Stephanie Aguilar-Smith, entrevistó a administradores, personal y miembros de la facultad de una docena de universidades designadas como HSIs, incluidas aquellas con una alta concentración de estudiantes elegibles para las Becas Pell, premio por alta necesidad financiera. Encontró que las escuelas buscan el dinero de la subvención por una variedad de razones, incluidas algunas que no están destinadas a servir específicamente a este grupo de estudiantes.

"No parecía que hubiera tanta intencionalidad sobre, "Oh, así es como podemos usar este dinero para realmente servir a los estudiantes latinX o estudiantes elegibles para Pell", que es lo que realmente los hace elegibles para este financiamiento", comentó Aguilar-Smith.

Para ser una escuela elegible HSI, los hispanos deben representar al menos el 25% de los estudiantes universitarios de tiempo completo. El Departamento de Educación requiere que las escuelas informen cada año sobre cómo se está utilizando el dinero, pero no existe un mandato para que las subvenciones HSI beneficien específicamente a los estudiantes latinx.

Aguilar-Smith descubrió que muchas instituciones solicitan subvenciones HSI para ayudar a compensar años de disminución de fondos estatales, problemas de inscripción y déficit presupuestario, en lugar de servir mejor a los estudiantes latinx. Por ejemplo, muchas universidades utilizan los fondos para actualizar la tecnología y renovar edificios. Al mismo tiempo, dice que una de cada cuatro universidades públicas y privadas sin fines de lucro alcanzará el umbral de HSI en los próximos años.

"La población de HSI está cambiando muy, muy rápido. Ya sabes, hace 20 años, la mayoría habrían sido colegios comunitarios públicos, y ahora, más de la mitad son universidades de cuatro años", también comentó la investigadora y profesora de la Universidad del Norte de Texas.

En 2017, la cantidad de estudiantes hispanos matriculados en la universidad fue de más de tres millones, casi el doble del número que asistió a la universidad en el año 2000, según el Centro Nacional de Estadísticas Educativas.

El apoyo para este reportaje fue aportado por la Fundación Lumina.

New Mexico is taking a deep dive into its funding of public colleges and universities to determine if inequities need to be addressed. The Higher Education Sustainability Study will review and recommend changes to the formula used to fund higher ed.

Gerald Hoehne, director, Capital Outlay Division with the New Mexico Higher Education Department, said it will look at possible inequities among the full range of sectors - from colleges and universities to research institutions, independent community colleges and branch campuses.

"The differences between community colleges and research institutions - those differences have come into how they're funded. So, this study gives us an opportunity to look at that in more detail," he said.

Community colleges disproportionately serve low-income students and students of color, but New Mexico is among the majority of states where two-year institutions receive thousands of dollars less in education revenue per student enrolled than four-year institutions, according to a 2020 study by the Center for American Progress.

Hoehne expected study results to be available by mid-October ahead of the 2025 legislative session, so lawmakers have insight and can make changes they feel are needed. The Legislature earmarked $187 million for higher education in 2024 - more than double last year's investment and one of the largest investments in higher education in state history. Hoene said an initiative within the study will look at how New Mexico's funding compares to other states.

"To understand if there is different ways in which other states are addressing the different types of institutions and how we potentially may be able to incorporate any changes to our process to address those differences," he continued.

The National Center for Higher Education Management Systems is conducting the equity study on behalf of the state.

New York's 2025 budget creates universal access to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid program.

School districts statewide will have the resources to help high schoolers complete the application. Those who do not fill it out must sign a waiver stating they know of the available aid but are not pursuing it.

Sen. Andrew Gounardes, D-Sunset Park, the bill's sponsor, said FAFSA's required information can be daunting.

"Some students or some families are well-prepared and well-equipped to review that document and provide that information; some students might not be," Gounardes acknowledged. "Some students might not even know where to turn to get that information, especially if they're the first in their family to pursue college if they're the first generation here."

Some schools have moved closer to charging $100,000 a year for tuition, which Gounardes said can deter students from considering college. But through the FAFSA process, scholarships and grants can provide enough to shave the number down to a more reasonable figure. A Sallie Mae report showed college spending is up as families spend close to $28,000 each year on college.

Feedback for the proposal was positive, considering most high school seniors who complete the FAFSA are likely to go to college after graduation. Gounardes argued the state can build on the progress by reviewing admissions practices to ensure they are fair and do not exclude students from certain backgrounds.

"In particular, I think it's high time we end legacy admissions," Gounardes emphasized. "There's no reason why we should have affirmative action for privileged kids in New York state, especially from institutions that receive significant public dollars either for grants or construction or awards or this or that or whatever."

He introduced a bill ending legacy admissions, which is still in committee. Among public and private colleges in New York, 42% still consider legacy applicants for admissions.

More than 70% of adults with student loans report having delayed at least one significant life event because of their debt situation, yet a new Lumina Foundation-Gallup poll shows few Americans seem to understand the cost of obtaining a bachelor's degree.

During the 2021-22 academic year, the average cost of attendance ranged from $10,000 per year at public two-year institutions to more than $56,000 per year at private four-year nonprofit colleges.

Michele Scott Taylor, Ph.D - is president of College Now Greater Cleveland, a nonprofit that works to increase higher education accessibility.

She said for students who are potentially first-generation college goers or from lower socio-economic backgrounds, the conversations around college affordability can be overwhelming.

"The issue for that subset of the population is really around helping them understand what college costs, but then more importantly, how do I afford it?" said Taylor. "What are the ways in which that I could afford whatever that cost might be? "

The poll found that more than half of never-enrolled and previously enrolled adults say cost is a "very important" reason why they have not enrolled or re-enrolled in college.

Unenrolled adults across race, age and first-generation potential students consistently rate tuition cost as the most important factor in their decision to not pursue a college degree.

Taylor said more efforts should also go toward helping students persist and complete their degree, once they've signed up for those loans.

She said higher-education institutions could work better with college access organizations to communicate their programs and offerings in ways that are enticing to get students to want to enroll.

"We want them to show better their return on investment," said Taylor. "We want them to be a little bit more transparent about the cost and what the costs entail."

Data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center shows that in the 2022-2023 academic year, the number of undergraduate degree earners nationwide fell for the second year in a row.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.




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